Victoria S PetersonVictoria Stoddard Peterson was born in Richmond, Virginia. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, award-winning and National Board-certified teacher of 47 years in Virginia and Florida where she now resides. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English nd Education from North Carolina, Wesleyan and her Master of Science in Education from Syracuse University. During her years of teaching, she studied under some of the most prominent names in education at the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary and Johns Hopkins University. It was during these years that she developed an appreciation for cooperative learning, the importance of the development of emotional intelligence, and the cultivation of the mind. Throughout her teaching years, she worked with a wide range of students from academically challenged to gifted students in first grade through high school. She spent her last five years in Virginia as a differentiation specialist and coordinated programs in the arts and technology for students of all abilities. Victoria directed many summer scholars' programs including the Virginia Governor's Summer Mentorship Program. She came to Florida in 2004 and taught middle school language arts for 13 years. During this time she received National Board Certification and was recognized by the Golden Apple Program and named Collier County Middle School Teacher of the Year. While working with all students-no matter what grade level or area-she emphasized the importance of self-discovery, self-actualization, social awareness and visionary leadership. It is the development of these qualities that are interwoven within the activities, challenges, and explorations in The Pathfinder. Read More Read Less